Don't use ROKU. Have no commercials interrupting programs streamed by Amazon Prime, Netflix, Kodi, Envida, HULU. But do have an antenna for watching local TV stations that have commercials. Particularly like Netflix for the huge Amount of Spanish programs & movies.
We bought a Roku TV at Costco for the back bedroom. Got a good deal on a 55" one. Haven't used the Roku part yet, but their app lets me use it as a back-up remote on my iphone. It has a lot of features I really haven't messed with yet. For movies, we use Netflix and Hulu and have Xfinity for everthing else.
If you don't have a television already set up for the Internet, a Roku is a pretty good deal. Right now, I have a television that accesses everything the Roku has to offer so I don't need the Roku box.
Thank you for clarifying what Roku is. Even though we have an Amazon fire box, A computer & an Envidia box hooked to our TV thru HDMI ports those really are useless. My wife wanted one of those new 86" LG smart TV's model LG Electronics 86uh5c-b86" lcd tv. . It comes with Netflix & Amazon already programmed for access. There are a lot of apps available like Hulu so all she has to do is point & click with the magic controller to watch what she wants to watch. The other TV in the kitchen has the antenna so I can catch the weather & news while eating breakfast. Just tested my internet speed Using the Ookla speed test PING ms 7 DOWNLOAD Mbps 348.98 UPLOAD Mbps 31.87
I have a TCL Roku TV that I bought new about a year ago. For several months, it worked great but now it keeps losing its connection. I don't think the problem is with my Internet connection because when it loses the connection, the Roku TV is unable to find any networks, and there are at least twenty networks that it should be able to find. In fact, if I try to set it up to my Hotspot instead, it can't find that either. When I shut it off for about ten minutes, it will connect again, but sometimes it does this frequently and when it loses the connection, it doesn't even save my place in whatever movie I'm watching. If I shut it off and turn it right back on again, it still won't find a connection. It indicates an Internet connectivity problem but If I hook an Amazon firestick to it and connect through that, I don't have any trouble, but there aren't as many options with the firestick as I have through Roku. Plus, I am not having trouble connecting through any of my computers so I think the problem is with the television.
Sorry to hear your TCL isn't performing right. We got the 55" one and have had no problems. I had never heard of them, so did some research and found out about their plant in China. All the major players have plants in China. I would buy another due to the ease of operation. ( It is hooked up by way of a HDMI cable and cat 5 from the modem ).
It's amazing how cheap the new TVs are. I bought a Toshiba smart TV for our bedroom to replace an old Sony during the "black whatever" sales for the holidays. I didn't think I'd like a smart TV but I got used to it. Since we still have Comcast/Xfinity services bundled I have to have 2 remotes. I only use the TV remote for Hulu or other streaming services that aren't available via Comcast. (Netflix and Amazon Prime are on Comcast, so woohoo.) All of our TVs/streaming devices are on our wireless network, but I did buy a wifi signal booster for downstairs.
I like my devices to be user-friendly in other words easy to use. I believe that the more technical a television becomes the more issues it can have. On the other hand if I didn't have to pay a penny for it, well ...